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How does a thermometer work simple explanation?

How does a thermometer work simple explanation?

A thermometer has a glass tube sealed at both ends and is partly filled with a liquid like mercury or alcohol. As the temperature around the thermometer’s bulb heats up, the liquid rises in the glass tube. When it is hot, the liquid inside the thermometer will expand and rise in the tube.

How does a thermometer respond to temperature?

How a Thermometer Works. In response to our understanding of the health concerns associated with mercury exposure, these types of thermometers usually use some type of liquid alcohol. These liquid thermometers are based on the principal of thermal expansion. When a substance gets hotter, it expands to a greater volume.

How do digital thermometers work?

Digital thermometers work by using heat sensors that determine body temperature. They can be used to take temperature readings in the mouth, rectum, or armpit. When assessing digital thermometer readings, keep in mind that armpit (axillary) temperature runs about ½ to 1°F (0.6°C) cooler than oral readings.

Why do farmers use thermometers?

Thermometer – Measures atmospheric temperature. Leaf Wetness Sensor – Measures surface moisture of the plants on a scale of 0-15 (dry to saturated). Data from these sensors are used in fungal disease control. Soil Moisture Sensor – Measures water levels in the soil.

What is an example of a thermometer?

A thermometer is a tool to measure temperature. Examples include liquid-in-glass thermometers, spring thermometers, industrial gas thermometers, digital thermometers, and liquid crystal thermometers.

How do you explain temperature?

Temperature is the measure of hotness or coldness expressed in terms of any of several scales, including Fahrenheit and Celsius. Temperature indicates the direction in which heat energy will spontaneously flow—i.e., from a hotter body (one at a higher temperature) to a colder body (one at a lower temperature).

Why the expansion of the glass of the thermometer is ignored?

The change in the length of the glass tube with variation in temperature is so small that we can ignore that and concentrate on the expansion of the volume of liquid in the bulb. As this volume expands it forces the liquid up into the glass tube.

What is the liquid inside the thermometer?

In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a standard temperature scale is marked on the tube. With changes in temperature, the mercury expands and contracts, and the temperature can be read from the scale. Mercury thermometers can be used to determine body, liquid, and vapor temperature.

How reliable are forehead thermometers?

Generally, the correlation of temperature results are as follows: An armpit (axillary) temperature is usually 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) lower than an oral temperature. A forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) lower than an oral temperature.

How do you check a thermometer?

Checking the Temperature. If you are using a digital thermometer, simply press the button to turn it on. Oral – Place under the tongue; Wait until the digital thermometer beeps or approximately 5 minutes for a manual thermometer; Remember not to take an oral temperature right after eating or drinking something because it will affect the results.

How does a thermometer predict the weather?

Temperature changes forecast weather events. Thermometers measure the changes in the temperature by using a liquid such as mercury or alcohol, normally colored red. When this liquid gets hotter it expands, and when it cools it retracts, thus the recognizable form of a thin red or silver line going up or down the thermometer.

How does a thermometer measure your temperature?

A thermometer measures temperature through a glass tube sealed with mercury that expands or contracts because the temperature rises or falls. The tiny size of the bulb and micro-fine size of the tube help the mercury reach the temperature of what it is measuring very rapidly.

What kind of thermometer do you use?

Digital thermometer. Digital thermometers work by using heat sensors that determine body temperature.

  • Oral thermometer. Oral temperature can be taken by either a digital or mercury thermometer.
  • Digital ear (tympanic) thermometer.
  • Forehead (temporal) thermometer.
  • App-based thermometer.
  • Pacifier thermometer.
  • Mercury (liquid in glass) thermometer.